These days travel can be stressful given the TSA stuff, Ebola, and congestion among other issues. Nevertheless, I find travel to be deeply rewarding because it offers me so many different perspectives on life and business. I tend to be very open and friendly when I travel thereby meeting lots of interesting people from all kinds of backgrounds. It’s a great way to learn and expand your awareness. The more exposed one is to diverse perspectives the greater the chance of relating to others as if we are all in this together as opposed to us verses them or other limited ways of thinking and being. People are fascinating in all their shapes and sizes and personalities. And at the end of the day, most people want to feel and be loved even if they have a funny way of showing it at times! read more

Michelle Peluso, the C.E.O. of Gilt Groupe, the online shopping site hasn’t had an office in over a year! Her desire to connect and understand the various teams under her leadership has lead her to sit in the open with everyone. She has no interest in an ivory tower feeling disconnected from her people. Learning this approach and the power of positively from her father, an entrepreneur himself, and curiosity from her mother, a teacher, she brings passion and purpose to life and business. read more

The New York Times Sunday Review section has a cover article on toxic wealth or addiction to money as the author, Sam Polk, a former Wall Street Trader puts it. For years, he felt lousy about seven figure bonuses because colleagues made even more. The money, though outrageous by Main Street standards, was never enough. I have lived and worked in Fairfield County, Connecticut on and off for decades. I have seen this phenomenon many times firsthand as a psychologist and business coach – not having enough. A women I saw recently was bitter at her husband because they went thru several million dollars of her savings, which she got in a divorce to a Wall Street guy,  over the course of a ten year marriage and she only had ten million left and it wasn’t nearly enough because even her “poor friends” had more. This not enough mentality is pervasive in our culture, Hollywood and Wall Street being extreme examples. What we don’t have enough of is kindness, creativity, and compassion from my perspective. As Mr. Polk points out, “only a wealth addict would feel justified in receiving $14 million in compensation – as the C.E.O of McDonalds did in 2012 while his company then published a brochure for its work force on how to survive on  their low wages.”  This is not an easy issue to address in a culture that idolizes the super-rich. It’s a good article to raise awareness, the first step to change! read more

I’ve been working on a novel for nearly two years now and I find that when I travel I tend to write more and more effortlessly! There are a billion reasons to travel but several stand out: getting out of your all too familiar local area no matter how cool it is tends to free the mind and offer new stimulating opportunities that free creativity! The other is that you can meet new or different people and learn different perspectives on life and business. Obviously, you don’t need to travel for this but often the act of going some place new and different opens the mind and Spirit! Sometimes, my girlfriend and I just drive up the Connecticut coast. Other times, I travel solo or do travel writing gigs! The picture above is of South Florida where I am currently experiencing a short break from the bitter cold, visiting friends, and writing! read more

As a life coach, I encourage clients to spend more time in nature. Sometimes, I take people I am working with over bridges near where my parents live because the rushing water is so powerful that it makes it nearly impossible for them to remain in their heads – in other words, to have excessive thoughts. If we want to truly live, we need to get in more in our hearts and much less in our heads!  Just some food for thought!! read more

This New York Times Travel section article on Malta reminded me of why international travel is so amazing! The more you experience, the more you know! People who travel a lot and interact with different people, cultures and civilizations often learn that the world is dynamic, complex and super-interesting. Too many of us are bored in our every day lives. With so much diversity and so much to learn we can learn to live without ever being bored. Developing a sense of wonder, awe, and curiosity along with an expansive mindset is a foundation to really living. Not only have I traveled internationally quite often but I’ve lived in many different parts of the United States and loved it! It’s an amazing world and the U.S. is a big country – the more open minded and adventurous we are, the more we experience the wonder! read more

It’s nearly impossible not to like Russell Wilson! Not only is he a superstar in his second year in the league with the Seattle Seahawks but he is affable, outgoing, smart, personable and seems to have wisdom way beyond his years. Colin Kaepernick, who almost won a Super Bowl in his rookie year with the 49ers is similarly gifted as an athlete but with a much less outgoing interpersonal style, at least in front of the press. As a psychologist, I can infer that Kaepernick’s maternal abandonment and early adoption might have had an impact on his sense of trust and interpersonal style. Speaking in front of the media, not an easy task for any young adult, might be a greater challenge for him. Mr. Wilson is a pro in this regard but that’s highly unusual. From my perspective, anyone can judge and criticize but it takes toughness to be understanding.  Let’s think about that the next time were critiquing someone without fully understanding who they are or how they were raised! read more

Remo Ruffini talks about his likes and dislikes in this 20 Odd Question edit by J.J. Martin of The Wall Street Journal. I like reading about entrepreneurs in general and this article caught my eye. He states: “A man with ugly socks is telling me that he doesn’t have elegance.” I don’t normally associate elegance with men or read about fashion but reading that quote had me stretch my mind a little. Can straight men still be elegant and masculine at the same time? I found myself wondering. I will give it some more thought and pay more attention now – that’s the beauty of opening one’s mind to new concepts and ideas, a great way to live! read more

After years of watching the Yankees sign high priced superstars to long-term contracts I feel strongly that they did the right thing by letting Cano go by passing on his demands. At 31, it’s hard to argue that another 10 year two hundred plus million contact is worth the risk, especially given the A-Rod situation. It takes courage to change course and do things differently and the Yankees are finally showing some – good stuff! I teach clients what I call fluidity or the flexibility to do things differently, especially if what they have been doing is not working. The Yankees have had a lot of success with high priced superstars in the past but the world is changing and the numbers are getting out of hand for guys that are already in their prime and may only have a few great years left. Only time will tell but again congrats for trying a different approach! read more

This picture is crinkled because The Sunday Review section of The New York Times traveled with me back from Los Angeles on a recent business trip. I took it with me because I agreed with Nicholas Kristof’s perspective on early intervention so much. As I have mentioned before, I worked at a Head Start Program (Federally mandated preschool for economically disadvantaged children) for three years in the late 90’s. I found the cycle of poverty, poor education, violence, and neglect among these children profoundly disturbing. What many middle upper class people don’t realize how far behind these children fall at such early ages and how much their emotional intelligence is impacted in early childhood. The Oklahoma experiment with mandated preschool for all four year olds and education for overwhelmed mothers sounds wonderful. I hope it succeeds and provides a model for other states! read more